In September 2023, consumer prices in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina increased by 0.4 percent on average compared to the previous month.
Prices have increased in clothing and footwear by 3.5 percent, transportation and education by 1.7 percent each, furniture, household appliances and regular home maintenance by 0.6 percent, alcoholic beverages and tobacco and Housing, water, electricity, gas and other energy products by 0.3 percent each, other goods and services by 0.2 percent, healthcare and Restaurants and hotels by 0.1 percent each
In September 2023, compared to the same month last year, prices increased by 2.4 percent (annual inflation), according to data from the Federal Bureau of Statistics.
The Decision of the Government of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina came into force, which prescribes retail and wholesale margins on certain items in stores. Inspectors in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina check whether the decisions made are respected. The prescribed penalty for a legal entity is one thousand and 250 marks and for a business entity 500 marks. BHRT has asked the citizens, do you notice the stagnation of prices and are the measures implemented by the authorities sufficient?
The decision refers to 15 items, mostly basic foodstuffs, where margins may not exceed 5 percent in wholesale and 8 percent in retail. The inspectors are in control from today.
ELMIR RAMIĆ, chief market inspector:
We did certain analyzes related to the movement of margins in retail chains, and I can say that these margins here are lower than in shopping centers, and I can say that I expect, if not reduced, at least the maintenance of these prices until the new year.
The aim is to stabilize the market in the specified period, the Ministry of Trade points out.
MERIMA MASLO, Assistant Federal Minister of Trade:
We expect that the consistent application of this decision will stabilize the prices of these products, and the real effects of the decision can be thoroughly discussed at the end of the decision, when the official data is published.
As a measure to help residents in Republika Srpska, the Socially Responsible campaign continues to be implemented, with traders, manufacturers and suppliers waiving part of the margin on consumer goods, according to the entity’s line minister.
DENIS ŠULIĆ, Minister of Trade and Tourism in the Government of the RS:
Now we have 45 products from domestic manufacturers, whose products have 0% margins, and hundreds of products in 22 different markets, in more than 400 business units throughout the RS, and we can say that all markets have products with zero percent margins.
The Regulation on Limiting Margins in the Trade of Goods in the Republic of Srpska was adopted in 2009. The inspectorate states that margins on the market are checked daily.
DUŠANKA NIKOLIC, Inspectorate of the Republika Srpska:
In eight months, 180 inspections were carried out, 23 of which were found to have irregularities, and on that basis, fines in the amount of 345 thousand marks were imposed.
In the Republika Srpska, a fine of 10,000 marks has been prescribed for the violation of the regulations in force for the trader as a company, and for the responsible person five thousand marks. In the Federation, it is even several times smaller, the chief market inspector points out, which has a stimulating effect on traders, and he believes that a new law on price control is necessary at the level of the Federation, in order to regulate the market and protect consumers as much as possible.
